Question of Identity
by AmandaLynn1616
Summary: George feels like he's being neglected by Fred, but he doesn't realise he's leaving Fred behind. Also a new girl moves in and both twins seem to fancy her...
1. Question Frenzy

The day had barely awoken when George felt his drool climbing slowly down his face. He whiped his face, only to find the saliva becoming more thick. He grogily opened his eyes to find his hand had some kind of white cream on it. He tried to focus his eyes, his eyebrows growing stern, and the more he looked the more real it had become. He smelt it, and it smelt of some sort of bitter medicine. He whiped it on his bed spread, then shook his head. He suddenly felt his hand and face feeling strangely tingly. A warming sensation grew, and he smiled lightly. He put some more on, and felt as though his face was so handsome. Suddenly, his face started to itch rapidly, and he started itching more and more rapidly. It was so bothersome, he cursed under his breath and looked for something sharp. Suddenly the itching had stopped, and he sighed in relief. Suddenly Fred popped up perkily, as if he had been awake the whole time.  
  
"Highly affective! Amazing! I think I need to lower the dose though, you've got a face as red as a lobster." said Fred enthusiastically. George rolled his eyes, running his fingers through his blonde-red hair. He never stops working, does he, George thought to himself, shaking his head shamefully. He got dressed into his robes, and headed downstairs along with Fred to welcome the new weekend with slightly open arms....  
  
They approached Lee Jordan, and Fred had already started chattering away. George just kept to himself quietly, not in the mood for such chatter, for once in his life. They all sat down close to Fred and George's brother, Ron. They started grabbing random food and eating it, George well concentrated on playing with his hashbrowns. Just then, Fred elbows George and scans someone with his blue eyes in much satisfaction. As soon as George saw her, his heart skipped a beat. It was a seventh year with long, brown wavy hair, and an angelic, honest face smiling as she spoke to Parvati Patil, smiling warmingly. Fred just looked at her like she was a peice of meat, but George knew she had to be something more... Something extravagent.  
  
Fred got up hastily and pathetically puffed his chest up like it was his ticket to a date. He started talking to her, telling jokes, introducing himself, and mostly showing off. She seemed to be buying his load of bull. It was amazing, the first person to really buy into his three steps to a mating revolution. First start with a cheezy pickup line, ask about her and act like you're really interested, then tell about a million tacky jokes. George sighed disappointingly and continued with his breakfast. He set his fork down, his appetite finally resting. He looked up, realising that only Herimione remained. Lee, Harry and Ron had joined Fred with trying to win over the new girl.  
  
"Really pathetic, isn't it? I don't expect you to give sympathy, I bet you'd be up there in a second if you chose, it's just that they aren't aware of the other hundreds of girls just as pretty as her in this school." says Herimione, shaking her head while she drinks her pumpkin juice. But she didn't understand, they weren't as pretty. She wasn't even pretty, the new girl was astoundingly beautiful. He just simply nodded his head, then followed her by taking a sip of pumpkin juice.  
  
"I think you're better then that, begging for a date. You aren't so shallow, George. I know it seems like you two are so alike, but I know that the fact is, you guys are so differant." Herimione says. George looks at her impressingly for her observation. However, he didn't know why she WAS so observant... Even more then his own parents.  
  
***  
  
A week had past, and the more time had past, the more Fred became closer to the new girl known as Mandy Brocklehurst. Because they had had been so close, George had some time to himself, without such dedication to his joke shop frenzy. He learned when he applied himself, he could do potions with just the swiff of his wand. Also, him and Herimione had really bonded. But the more that Fred spent time with Mandy, the more George became fond of her, and jealous of Fred. It was just a mild annoyance, really. Well, until one day in early December...  
  
Herimione went down to the Library by herself, and George was about to go down to ask her about a Transfiguration problem. He walked down the many aisles of books, then finally obtained his goal... However, after seeing her, he wished he hadn't found her. She was flipping through a book, while speaking to none other than Mandy herself.  
  
"So... Did you happen to find yourself a date to the Yule Ball yet?" asks Mandy to Herimione. She nodded her head, a light blush on her face.  
  
"It's this Drumstrang Quidditch player, Viktor. He's so level headed and he has so much depth. Plus, his appearence isn't hideous either." says Herimione, smiling widely. "How about you? I suspect Fred would've by now..."  
  
"Yeah he did. I might go without a date though, rather then go with someone. I mean, he's nice and all, extremely attractive, funny... It's just that it has been only a week and I hardly know him enough to go to something like that, you know?" asks Mandy. Herimione nods, shutting the book she was flipping through and putting it back on the shelf. She suddenly grew silent, and peaked through the bookshelf to the next aisle, where George was at. He quickly picked up a random book, The Lockhart Consipracy by Rita Skeeter, and opened it to block his face. He didn't have to see them, he still had hearing...  
  
"Well... I mean..." Herimione says with slight hesitance. "What about George? What's so special about Fred? George's so much more... well... mature."  
  
"I know, but he always keeps to himself. It's like he's hiding himself from the world, he's like Fred's stunt double, he may do all the stunts but he isn't doing the acting." says Mandy, while picking up another book. George had heard quite enough. He put the book back and walked off... It was really hardly worth knowing the truth... But why was HE the stunt double? Was it so bad that he was so much less shallow? And did he really just keep to himself as she says? He had to get some sleep because all of those damn questions made him emotionally drained...  
  
***  
  
A couple of days later, George sat with Herimione in an empty classroom late in the evening. Herimione had been tutoring George with his Transfiguration since he fell much more behind the last couple of days. She was teaching him how to turn his wallet into a toad, and a toad into his wallet. It was an early tradition a long time ago to turn a prince's crown into a toad on Thanksgiving as symbolism, but the spell had simply turned into a valuable pocession protection spell. Each time he tried, the wallet had simply turned into a frog-hide wallet with webbed feet, nothing more.  
  
"Try and concentrate, George! It isn't that hard!" Herimione said frustratingly. George had become very irritated with his wallet, and the more he wanted it, the more it seemed to to get away from his clutches.  
  
"I am concentrating!" he says in denial, Herimione shaking her head stubbornly.  
  
"No, George, you're not. What's wrong? There's usually an emotional problem when you can't preform such a simple Transfiguration spell. I read it in The Standard Book of Spells, Grade three. Now tell me or you'll go back to being a flunky Fred-clone." she says harshly. George looked at her afterwards with a very insulted look on his face.  
  
"No, I won't be, because I keep to myself! I'm not as shallow as Fred, remember? I'm not as hansome or funny!" he says, yelling lightly. The librarian attempted a hush, but it came out a hiss rather then a sign of quiet. He got the clue, all the same. "Look, I heard you and Mandy talking in the library a couple of days ago about me and Fred." he says admittingly. Her eyes whiden as she starts stacking her books to pick them up.  
  
"W- Where..." he can only manage to say... She bites her lip, her face bright red, almost as red as his face a week ago when Fred had pulled off the prank with the itching cream. There had to be something more that Herimione or Mandy said after he had left. If only he could stand to listen to Mandy brag about Fred. Did this make him self-consious, or even shallow? He didn't know, but either way, he would have assumed she'd given an apology, and that was obvious that one of them said something more... Hee felt suddenly sleepy again, and felt the new questions popping into his head, as well as the old ones...  
  
***  
  
George got up the next day grogily, rubbing his face with his hands to wake himself up. He sighs and looks around, seeing everyone except him asleep. He plops back into his bed, and tries to fall asleep, but instead, thoughts start popping into his mind. Not only thoughts, but even worse... questions. But this time, he thought them more clearly. Such as why had Herimione known him so much when they barely talked? She saw him in this whole other light compared to everyone else, it was just peculiar. And why was George setting himself back lately? He seemed so normal before, he was just Fred's same person. But maybe he was tired of being Fred's clone. And why had Mandy become such a big impact on his life? He had never wished for something so much in his entire life... And what was with Herimione stalking off yesterday?   
  
He stopped himself, and got up out of his bed restlessly, as quiet as he could so he wouldn't wake anyone. He looked out at the window sadly, watching the dark sky, realising how early it was. It was probably around three o'clock in the morning, and light rain surrounded the Forbidden Forest and Hagrid's hut, which was the only thing George could see through the window. He sighed and started getting dressed. He couldn't go down to the great hall because no one was awake, and he'd probably get in trouble, so he started walking downstairs to the common room. But as he walked, he could hear mornful sobbing. He quietly walked over to see who it was, and it was none other then Herimione.  
  
He quietly started walking closer to check himself, it was very early after all, but accidently kicked a Bertie's Botts Every Flavor Bean. She whipped her head around, and as soon as she saw George, she started whiping her tears. She looked at him with a fake smile, but it soon faded and she begun sobbing once again. George walked over to sit next to her on the couch, the fire already lit.  
  
"Look Herimione, I didn't hear anything after what you said about me and Fred, I left afterwards. And that was all I heard. I promise." he says, and she nodds lightly, her artificial smile turning into a sincere light grin. "But... if there's something you need to tell me-"  
  
"No, George. It was just private stuff I thought you'd tell someone who I didn't want to know..." she says quietly, whiping her eyes once again. He looked at her sympathetically, and there was awkward silence for a few seconds.  
  
"Look, if it was something that was private, I wouldn't have said anything if I knew it was wrong." said George, and she smiled gratefully, nodding.  
  
"Thank you. I should probably tell you anyways. He is your brother and-"   
  
"No more about Fred, I think you know I've heard enough." George said defensively, interrupting Herimione.  
  
"No, no it isn't about Fred. It's about Ron... I... sort of like him and he's being so clueless and heartless, treating me like some sort of... well... geek." she says, her eyes looking sad. "I told Mandy that day that I'd like him if he weren't so heartless about his words, and I thought you'd tell him. I even went through what you'd say to him when I couldn't sleep." she says admittingly, and he just nods sympathetically.  
  
"Well if it helps you, he's a total git if he doesn't realise it, it's pretty damn obvious. You didn't have to worry not only about me telling him, but everyone who cares about you because those who do take the time to notice that you fancy him." Geroge says, and she laughs lightly.  
  
"Thanks, George. You know, you've become a real good friend..." she says, then gives him a huge hug. The thing is, he expected to let go a lot sooner then she did...  
  
***  
  
The morning rose, and Herimione and George pretended like nothing had happened that morning, only their friendship felt a lot stronger. George explained how he felt about Mandy, and Herimione nodded in complete understanding. They ate together, instead of them eating with their usual people because she knew that they both needed time away from their crushes a while. But it was a bad thing, because if they had, the following events would've happened a little sooner, and it would've gotten over with...  
  
Fred stalked over proudly, and patted George's back, a satisfied smirk on his face.  
  
"Hello George, brother-ole-pal. Your twin has got himself a date to the Yule. Mandy said yes just thing morning." he said, then started going on about how they've become so close and how things were going so great.  
  
"Shut up Fred, you ignorant git before I shove a muffin up your nose." snaps George, then stalks off... The only problem was, he didn't know where to go...  
  
(Well, that's about it for the first chapter, believe me, more questions still remain (damn all these questions^^') and a lot more is still to come. Please leave me some reviews! This is my first Fan Fic chapter, so be nice!) 


	2. The Brotherly Bond

George sat next to the school lake, the rain atmosphere letting his tears fall without any worry. He stared at the lake, feeling his shoulders extremely tense. It wasn't that he was sad, but more pushed to the edge. Fred and George had always been so alike, was it so bad that he was growing his own mind? He sighs heavily, letting his sorrows flow away as he exhaled. He eventually had to go in for class, but he just sat there, not able to move his legs. After a while he got up after the tears were shed, then went to pick up his books to take classes. Herimione tried to talk to him, but he just shrugged her off. He had to be numb, pretend he wasn't there or else someone would see him wrecked down by his own brother and he wouldn't give him that satisfaction.  
  
After all of the classes where he was focusing too hard on his school work, he plopped on the common room couch and dirfted off to sleep, not even able to wait to take off his robes and go into the boys dormitories. He could feel Herimione stroke his hair when he was asleep, even in his dreams. He felt her warm sympathy, almost as if she was saying that it would be okay. The strange thing was afterwards, his dreams felt more peaceful...   
  
The next morning, he got up reluctantly, the day seeming less bleak with the sunnier weather. He doubtd that it symbolized the rest of his day, but it did make him feel better. He got dressed into his robes, and started down to the Great Hall, but while walking down to the common room, he ran into Fred. He was about to say sorry, but Fred interuppted him.  
  
"Don't even start apologising, let's go talk." says Fred, and they walked down all the way to the common room and sat down. George awkwardly looks at the ground, feeling his shoulders tense up. He fiddled with his cloak, trying desperately not to look up at Fred even though he felt his painfully concerned stare.  
  
"So... you like Mandy...." says Fred, George afterwards shaking his head. Fred looked at him confusingly, then George sighs.  
  
"Well, I guess so... I mean I don't know her that well... She's just something that you can have and I can't, you know? I guess I'm just sick of being the Fred copy..." says George, Fred nodding.  
  
"Well I have no idea why." he jokes. "But I think that you should be growing your own mind, because you picked the worst sort to copy."  
  
George realised he was actually smirking, which was strange for him lately. He sighed with relief, leaning his head back. But Fred wouldn't stop there...  
  
"So what's with you and Herimione? I mean, I saw her giving you a lurve stroke last night. You fancy her?" asks Fred bluntly. This question was a slap in the face for realization, because he hadn't thought of fancying Herimione. There wasn't a reason not to, she was a cool person to hang out with and she was the only person who could always make him smile no matter what....  
  
"Yeah, I guess..." says George, Fred smirking. "Half of the Weasley population does now I guess.." jokes George.  
  
"You should really ask her to the Yule Ball, that'd get Ron really going..." Jokes Fred, but George nods as if to take it seriously...  
  
***  
  
"Hey George, I heard you worked things out with Fred!" says Herimione early morning during the weekend, the bleak weather not lowering Herimone's mood.  
  
"Yeah. Who told you? I didn't think anyone was listening..." said George, wondering if she had heard what they talked about afterwards... about Herimione...  
  
"Harry couldn't sleep with Neville's snoring, so he decided to get up really early n' go down to the common room n' start a fire, but he stopped walking the spiral staircase when he heard people talking, you guys." she explains as they walked down to the Great Hall through the many changing stairs.  
  
"Oh... he didn't say anything else did he?" asks George nervously, biting his lip as he puts his hands in his pocket.  
  
"Not really, except that Fred was really cool about it." she says, looking at him, smiling. "I'm glad you guys worked things out..."   
  
"That's cool..." he says, afterwards feeling an awkward silence. "So... have you got a date to the Yule Ball?" he asks quietly.  
  
"Viktor Krum from Drumstrang. I haven't really answered, Ron seems disturbed about it, says that it's dating the enemy." she says, shaking her head. George started to say something, to ask her if she wanted to go with himself, but he then realised something. If Ron was going to be upset about Viktor, he'd sure be upset about his own brother asking Herimione. But then again, Ron had been really ignorant and not really seeing that Herimione liked him. George deserved her, he had been a really good friend to her, vice versa. And Ron? Ron had made her cry so many times through third year, they went through so many fights, and the first year, Ron had been a real jerk at first, before the troll attacked her.   
  
"So... how about you?" she asks quietly, looking down at her feet as she walked. They approached the Great Hall, walking over to the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Not really, got over Mandy just a while ago, remember? I do have my eyes on someone, though..." he says, smirking as they sat down together. He noticed that barely anyone was awake except them.  
  
"Oh..." she says, almost sounding disappointed. "Well, that's good you're moving on..."  
  
"Yeah I reckon. You're a great girl too." he says lightly, feeling his ears and cheeks burn, praying to god that he wasn't red.  
  
"P- Pardon?" she says, looking confused, a light smile curled on her face.  
  
"That someone's you..." he says quietly, afterwards watching her face turn red, another awkward silence arising. "And since you haven't said anything to Viktor yet, just know that you have a second choice." he says lightly, then gets up and walks to class. He could feel himself skipping after out of sight. He finally had gotten it over with. But what was Ron going to say? What about Viktor? Would she even say yes? Viktor was huge, and he might get beaten up. Crud, he had just woken up and again with the questions and him being tired...  
  
****  
  
iAuthor Note: Okay, this chapter sucks, I will be making a major edit tomorow, so don't wig out yall:D I'll probably be done with this story by the end of the week, and I have a new one I'm writing for fun about Malfoy n' Cho Chang... So look out for that. Please leave some reviews on the 1st chapter while I fix this one up!/i 


	3. Zippin' Zany Flowers

A/N:After this chapter I'll be editing a lot of the story, so don't be SUPRISED if you see some major changes! This MIGHT be the last chapter, it might not. Keep clicking to find out! Also, Watch out for Draco's Decievement, it's FAR from ending, I think it'll be a lot longer then this one. I might have a sequel to this one, I mean, George's crush on Mandy didn't seem complete ;) Although, I could make this longer... Hm...  
  
George walked into Three Bromsticks, his mind well occupied on Herimione, a smile on his face. He started thinking about the conversations that they had together, she always said the right things to make him smile, no matter what. He walked over to a newstand inside, paid a sickle, and took a Daily Prophet. He sat down at a table alone, scanning the headlines. DUMBLEDORE'S DEVIOUS SECRETS by Rita Skeeter, HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR BROOM CLOSET by Steve Vander Ark, and it didn't get much better from there. He skipped over to the advertisements.   
  
He opened the pages, and searched through them. LAST FIVE FIREBOLTS IN STOCK, MAIL ORDER NOW!.... THIEVE'S TREATS, MAKE YOUR JOB EASIER, COME DOWN TO KNOCKTURN ALLEY!.... ZiPPiN' ZANY FLOWER ARTS! GIVE YOUR SWEETHEART A LITTLE TREAT! FLOWERS THAT GLOW, MOVE, AND EVEN SAY A TELEGRAM! MAIL ORDER TODAY! He looked at the flower bit, thinking of Herimione. It wouldn't be a bribe, just more of a... persuasion. He smiled to himself, and ripped the ad out so he could mail order it once he got back.   
  
"Want a nice warm butterbeer to go with that newspaper, sir?" asks Madam Rosmerta, frowning at the ripped newspaper. He snorts, then nods lightly. He continues to read his newspaper, hearing a few people walk in. He looks up, and sees Harry, Ron and Fred, probably having some boy bonding moment since Mandy nor Herimione were there. He waves to them, and they all sit down next to them.  
  
"Hey George, here with your ickle own self? I reckoned you'd be with ickle sweetkins Herimione." says Fred, smirking. George laughs, then shakes his head.  
  
"Where's ickle Mandy?" he replies, Harry and Ron snorting. Ron sits down and looks down at the newspaper. He looks at the ripped section curiously. George could already hear the question coming out of Ron's loud mouth, his ears turning red.  
  
"Hey why is this paper ripped? You get your sickle ripped off?" asks Ron curiously. Fred looks down at the advertising George ripped out, and smirked.  
  
"Plan on making a little mail order are we? For sweet ole' Hermoninny?" jokes Fred, Harry and Ron looking over his shoulder to read the mail order. George gave him the 'quit it' sign, he gestured a line through his throat, and Fred nodded. Ron looked at George curiously, then at the ad. Harry suddenly gave a realising look on his face, then looked at George as if he were crazy.  
  
"You fancy Herimione?" Harry suddenly says, Fred hitting his face. Thanks a lot, Fred, George thought to himself. He nodded, Madam Rosmerta setting down the Butterbeer. He gave her three sickles and she went on her way.  
  
"Well, she's got Viktor. I know she wont listen to me, she'll go to the Yule and probably make out with him." says Ron bitterly. Fred pats Ron's back sympathetically, but Ron just looks at him like he's crazy. George suddenly realises he's right. He'd never have a chance with Herimione, I mean, Viktor's a famous foriegn Quidditch player with an accent. Girls go for him all the time. And George? He hadn't been asked to the Yule at all, this was his first time he had ever made a serious move.  
  
"Sucks to be you." mutters Harry, Ron and George not really sure who he was saying it to. Ron was still way in denial, from what George could tell, which was good. But he would probably wack into his senses if Herimione said yes to George. One could only hope....  
  
***  
  
Herimione sat with Harry and Ron in the early Sunday morning, eating a cinnamin roll very carefully so as to not get her fingers sticky. If her parents saw her eating such a sugary meal, they'd kill her. But she still continued to eat unhastily as Ron and Harry were well into a conversation about Harry's Quidditch training. She sighed lightly, then looked around.  
  
The owl post started flying down, differant owls returning to their owners, strange owls sending letters from home, and school owls returning with replies from letters students have sent. Herimione continued eating her cinnamin roll until she heard something was carefully set in front of her. She looked up, and there was a bouquet of strange flowers, purple and white daisies, which waved back and forth and they almost seemed to glow. She looked at them in awe, Ron and Harry staring at her curiously. She read the card outloud, knowing they'd probably ask anyways.  
  
AND I MEAN EVERY WORD OF IT. POINT YOUR WAND AT THE BOUQUET AND SAY 'VELISIUM'. -GEORGE  
  
She couldn't help but smile hugely and let out a small giggle. She took out her wand and said in a weak voice 'velisium', and suddenly the daisies stopped waving, and it looked like they had grown mouths. They were smiling warmly.  
  
"Herimione, you've been there for me through thick and thin  
  
You've shown the real me, not the twin  
  
I know I did ask a really strange way  
  
But please say yes to this proposal which these daisies will say  
  
That if you could be with me for one more night  
  
The Yule would be fantastic and just right  
  
So please say yes and I'll treat you like a queen  
  
If you'd just go to the Yule with me!" the daises said in a squeaky voice, waving in unicent to the rythm of the poem. She put her hands over her mouth in shock, smiling warmly. She couldn't help but let out an 'aaawe'.  
  
"Bad poem if you ask me." muttered Ron, then grabbed some bacon and started chewing on it.  
  
"Are you joking? It's totally sweet!" Herimione says happily, gazing at them happily.  
  
"It's cheap bribary." says Ron bitterly, his mouth stuffed with bacon.  
  
"Swallow then speak, first year. Honestly, what do you have against me having a date? I mean, sure, Viktor had a slightly understandable but debatable reason, but your brother was just completely sweet!" she says, then took a bite of her cinnamin roll.  
  
"Well... what are you going to say?" asks Harry to avoid a fight between the two of them. Herimione paused because she had to chew the rest of her cinnamin roll. After swallowing, she took a sip of pumpkin juice, then replied.  
  
"Yes! He's so sweet! And he'd be a perfect date, I mean he's a real gentleman! And he's so unshallow." she said, smiling whidely. And he's older then her, and cute...  
  
***  
  
George walks down to the Great Hall at dinner time, seeing Harry and Ron ahead of them. He waves over to them, and Harry stops, Ron reluctantly stopping, rolling his eyes. Uh oh, George thought to himself.  
  
"Hey George. Your flowers were a big hit." said Harry, smirking. George smiles widely, his ears turning slightly red.  
  
"Really? What'd she say? Did she tell you what her answer was?" asks George hastily.  
  
"Don't ruin the suprise, Harry." mutters Ron, approaching the Gryffindor table. They all sat down and grabbed some food.   
  
"Oh no! Please do!" jokes George, and Harry just shrugs.  
  
"Yeah, I reckon he's right. Besides, you'll find out soon anyways." says Harry, gesturing his head over to behind George. George turned around and saw Herimione walking over to them. George could instantly feel butterflies jumping in his stomach. He could feel his face turn redder then ever. He took a sip of pumpkin juice and acted like he didn't know she was approaching.  
  
"H- Hey George, I got your... telegram." she says quietly, smiling shyly.   
  
"Oh... That's good." he says quietly, running his fingers through his hair cooly. Harry and Ron snorted at him trying to act cool.  
  
"So... I reckon we oughta go to the Yule together. I mean... we've been good friends n' all..." she says quietly, her cheeks slowly burning. George could hear Ginny's giggle from a distance.  
  
"Just as friends, you mean? Or like... not just as friends?" asks George, feeling his gut being stomped on.  
  
"Well... I dunno... If you want to go as more then friends..." she says quietly, looking at her shoes.  
  
"Yeah... I reckon I do." he replies, smiling warmly. She looks up at him, a huge smile on her face.  
  
"Okay! See you later!" she says, then hussles off. He could hear her skip from a distance, just like he did. He wondered if she could hear him when he skipped... 


	4. The Other Brotherly Bond

George and Fred started down to the Great Hall, both of them wearing decent-looking, black dress robes. To make a statement, George's hair was tidily side parted and Fred's was wildly spiked. They both had wide smiles on their faces, looking the least identical they ever had. George looked more respectable, smart, and thoughtful, while Fred looked fun, wacky and like the type to be a girl's best friend. Harry walked out of Mad Eye Moody's classroom, and accidently bumped into them. He looked at Fred, then George, then smiled impressingly.  
  
"You guys really pulled through." says Harry, pushing up his glasses to his green eyes. Fred and George smiled apprieciatingly, and they continued down to the Great Hall. For the first time, George felt as if he was proud to be a twin, while being himself at the same time.   
  
They walked into the Great Hall, seeing instead of four house tables, round tables which seated twelve. Menus were tidily sitting on top of golden gleaming plates, the napkins somehow folded into real-life looking roses, which when you touched, folded out and flew to your lap. George smiled contently, then turned around.  
  
When he did, his smile grew wider then before, and his ears felt as if they were on fire. He felt Fred doing the same, as they saw Mandy and Herimione walking from the halls into the Great Hall, looking impressed. Mandy had on an almost glowing bright green dressrobe, her hair tidily straightened, compared to it being wavy. Her teeth seemed to be sparlier then usual. Herimione's appearence was a far more improvement from usual though. Mandy was expected to look that pretty, no one knew that Herimione could look like she looked then. Her hair was no longer curly and frizzy, but straight and tidily put into a bun. Her usual slightly larger front two teeth seemed perfect, and she wore a gorgeous blue dressrobe.  
  
"Hello Fred, George." says Mandy smoothly, Fred running his fingers through his hair, his hand a little greasy from the gell he put in. Herimione smiled happily at everyone, then looked at George shyly. Mandy giggled and elbowed her lightly as if to tell her to say something.  
  
"H- Hello George. Hi Fred. This place really brightens up, doesn't it?" she says quietly, biting her lip. The other three of them nodded awkwardly.  
  
"So... Food?" says Fred, George laughing lightly afterwards.  
  
"That's all you think about when there are two perfectly pretty girls in front of us. Shall we?" asks George smoothly, holding out his arm to escort Herimione to the table. She nods flatterily and links arms with him friendily. They walk over to a table and sit down, George noticing Harry slowed down for Ron as they only just entered the Great hall. Also with the two of them, was Percy, Ginny, and Neville. Neville looked like he was about to burst with excitement as he walked with Ginny. They all sat down, well into a conversation. George glanced at Ron, noticing he was with Padma Patil, not seeming to impressed. He kept glaring at George and Herimione like it was a curse.   
  
Further into the meal, Herimione started talking to George and debating on weather Professor Trelawney was truly a psycic. George had recieved a prediction of better fortunes the next summer of the year she told it to him, and the next year he found ten galleons out of no where. Herimione did protest, saying how ridiculous some of the things she came up with.  
  
"Can't beat this one, George, she hates Trelawney. Plus, she's a know-it-all, remember?" mutters Ron bitterly, taking a sip of pumpkin juice as he wrapped his arm around Padma, who's face went all red as she started giggling.  
  
"Well, at least I keep decent relationships. You hardly know Padma and look at you." snaps Herimone, then looks at George as if she wanted to continue their conversation.  
  
"So? I don't go dating people three years older then me." says Ron quietly, Herimione slamming her hand on the table. George raised his eyebrows as if to be suprised.  
  
"What is your problem? Can't I have any date with you having a problem with it? Honestly, you didn't point out Krum's age, you were too busy bickering about his orgin!" Herimione says, George telling her to calm down while she snaps at Ron.  
  
"Well, it's not my fault that you pick the worst dates!" yells Ron, Herimione looking insulted.  
  
"Why thank you, mate. You're an awesome brother, real good one. And you've done an awesome job trying to woe Herimione. Doesn't it suck to be you? Poor ickle Ron couldn't beat his own brother to his best friend." snaps George.  
  
"Your turn to calm down." jokes Herimione. "Look, don't sink down to his level. Let's just eat-"  
  
"ARG!" yells Ron, thrusting himself over to George's neck to strangle him. George simply backs up so not to be reached, lets out a small laugh then throws his napkin on his plate as he decides to take a walk. Herimione hussles behind him...  
  
***  
  
(A/N:HUGE thanks to the Harry Potter Lexicon for its AMAZING resources! I had a heck of a time having everything exactly accurate, but it was so much easier!! http://www.hp-lexicon.org) 


	5. They're Selfish

After a long debate, George and Herimione were back in the Great Hall, slow dancing peacefully. She was smiling at him warmly as if nothing had happened. George could still feel Ron enviously glaring at them at the back of his kneck. George had to remind himself that he was the one being envied, not Ron, so he really shouldn't be mad. But he was mad anyways because it was ridiculous how his brother was acting. He was ignorant towards Herimione, then fighting for her the next. I bet he didn't even consider going with her himself. He looked around while dancing still, seeing Viktor Krum sitting at a table, drinking pumpkin juice with a sulky face. George sighed lightly, shaking his head. Everyone seemed to hate him for doing this. George didn't belong here, this was selfish of him.  
  
"Herimione... I can't be here with you... There are so many people out there hating me for being here with you and I'm just being so selfish." said George admittingly. Herimione bit her lip, then looked down at her feet.  
  
"George, when Krum asked me to the ball, I was so happy and giddy for that ten minutes of crushing, I couldn't stop smiling. But then you came in with your flowery telegram and I couldn't stop smiling until tonight when Ron was trying to say that you weren't good enough. My jaw felt like it was about to fall off, but I still couldn't stop. You made me so happy, and even before the flowers. And think about it, the only time I didn't smile was when YOU were being insulted. You were my best friend through everything. Krum makes me smile temporarily, Ron, hell he makes me cry constantly, but you? You never lifted a smile off my face. That's not you being selfish, making me happy. They're selfish." says Herimione, looking into his eyes warmly.  
  
"Your jaw felt like it was going to fall off? See, I am hurting you." he jokes, and they both laugh. Their cheeks met as they moved in closer, and he whispered into her ear. "For the first time tonight, Fred and I felt like two differant people, but twins all the same. You did that, you helped me through that. You're a miracle worker." He could feel her cheeks burn, he didn't even have to see her blush. He moved back a bit so he could see her pretty face, and she smiled brightly. He could feel her come closer, their noses brushing next to eachother, their lips meeting. There were no fireworks, there was no marching band. But George felt a strange tingle, like knives stabbing hot and cold tingles into his lips.  
  
Suddenly, Ron shoved George away forcingly, his face completely red. George shoved back, then continued dancing with Herimione. Herimione giggled and shaked her head shamefully. In the distance, George could hear Padma scolding at Ron, then stomping off jealously.  
  
"You okay?" asks George, Herimione nodding, a warm smile on her face.  
  
"Yeah, except I think your nose broke mine." she jokes. He kisses her on the nose lightly, then they continue to dance peacefully.  
  
George knew from then on, it was not his fault if he had his emotions. If he was more mature then Fred, if he was more emotions then him, if he liked Herimione. His emotions did not make him selfish. He was like any other man in the world. Yes, a man. Like Herimione said, That's not him being selfish, making Herimione happy. They're selfish.  
  
***  
  
Two years had past by, and eventually Herimione and George broke up. They continued being friends, and despite everything, George was still happy he dated Herimione. She taught him a large lesson, helped him grow, taught him the lessons of relationships, and of being a twin. Ron dated Herimione for two weeks, but then Herimione quickly realised afterwards the pain he brought her, and broke up with him. She still contacts Krum, and he apolgised for acting like a jerk. After the yule he gave George a bloody nose. Herimione and George laugh about it still.  
  
Fred and Mandy got married, and had three children. George was Fred's best man, and they DID NOT have a double wedding, even though their mother insisted. After a few years, George met up with Herimione for a small reuinion, and became fond of eachother once again. Their wedding was beautiful, and resembled the Yule ball in so many ways...  
  
And George did not open a joke shop with Fred. To everyone's disbelief, he started working at the Ministry of Magic, same department as Percy. Fred and George still are so alike, but are differant in so many ways. George will never have what he used to, a question of identity.  
  
THE END  
  
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End file.
